Reptile & Amphibian Forums

HI

i just recently found this horned lizard at my local pet store and thought to get it cuz i dont always see them, coasted $30 and it seemed like a cool challenge. If yall could give me information on them like how to sex, if they could have cage mates, feeding and what insects to feed, how to make them live long and what ever yall experenced(cant spell) through keeping them. I need to know the dos and donts to keeping Horned Lizards.

Thanks

Big P

check out www.phrynosoma.com and you'll get a good idea what you might be in for. Can you say what species they are at all?
This will have a big effect on the type of care they will need.
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Phrynosoma.Com

I would also suggest if your not really experienced with lizards in general I would read everything I could get my hands on with respect to husbandry. There is a committment involved and that has to do with feeding the lizard ants, as these lizards will not do sell in captivity without ants which is the mainstay of its eating. If your not willing to spend at leat 20 bucks a month on ants then look for another lizard, please read the web-site but also please get the flavor of the comittment involved with keeping a horned lizard long term......Good luck and cheers!!!
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Phrynosoma.com

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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]

Hi. I just wanted to add my 2 cents in. I sort of "adopted" a couple of horned lizards that my neighbors "captured" and decided they were too much "work". And have been taking care of them for the last 2 months now until I figure out what to do with these guys. My life has been consumed on trying to keep them alive. Most horned lizards of this species seem to die within months of being in captivity. Not all horned lizards like or will eat Harvester Ants, which is the main kind you can buy for $20.00 a month. The kind I have eat local ants so I'm outside 30-45 minutes a day trying to capture ants using a "bug vacuum". It's EXTREMELY time consuming. But unless I want to see them dead within months I'm doing everything I can do to keep them alive. In my opinion, any pet store WILLING to sell a horned lizard KNOWING how hard they are to keep alive and KNOWING they NEED ants to survive (and ants are hard to come by) is operating somewhat unethically. They're dooming many of those little creatures to death. In the long run most people won't be willing to spend the time or money necessary. Some species of horned lizards are easier to care for than others. Most pet stores I talked with won't sell them because they know that most places don't sell ants (which they need for survival). So you'll have to buy them online and take care of the ants as well as the lizards. They also eat some crickets to suppliment but throwing in a few crickets every few days won't cut it for them. Mine eat up to a dozen (or more) 1/8-1/4 inch crickets A DAY. That would cost $120.00 a month at the pet store so I buy them online in bulk and have to take care of them as well. Try taking care of 500 crickets every day!!! (They also eat and poop so there's feeding and clean up of the crickets to do.)

I'd encourage you to get a lizard that's easier to care for. Remember . . .if you get one . . . YOU BECOME RESPONSIBLE TO DO ALL YOU CAN TO KEEP IT ALIVE AND THRIVING!!!! It's a HUGE responsibility. Don't get one just cuz their cute or unique. You need to make sure you'll be able to keep it alive to the BEST OF YOUR ABIILITY!!! That means being willing to invest the time and money to assure their well being. If you get one that eats crickets and lettuce it would be so much easier!!! If you get one of these then you'll need a place to keep your crickets and ants and will need an additional refrigerator unless you put the ants in your main fridge with all your food!!! (YUCK!!!)Also, with Harvester ants . . .they can and do bite so you can't throw in 100 at a time and call it good for the day. You need to take it slow so you can be sure they won't gang up on the lizard and attack him.

I didn't mean to come on so strongly, but want to make sure you get a clear picture of the work that's invovled. I wouldn't have voluntarily taken this on . . . it only happened because I didn't want to see these guys dead at my neighbors who weren't willing to feed them as they needed to be fed. I'm just trying to help you see how serious of a commitment this is. These guys deserve their life. . . it might not be a life like yours or mine . . .but it's the only one they've got!! So if we keep them, it's up to us to assure we do everything within our power to keep them healthy. Believe me . . .my dog takes much less time and energy and money than these little lizards! And he's excited to see me. . .it seems horned lizards don't really care much for people.

Good Luck to you and hope you look at all your options or at least seriously educate yourself on these guys before making a decision. I do applaude you for at least "looking into it" before "jumping into it".